Common Misconceptions

1. South Asians are not overweight. Overall, South Asians may not look as overweight as other ethnic groups as measured by standard body mass index (BMI) criteria. However, even a small amount of excess belly fat goes a long way towards significantly increasing one's risk for diabetes and heart disease. Based on this risk, a separate BMI scale has been created for South Asians.

2. A vegetarian diet is healthier. A typical South Asian vegetarian diet may actually be more harmful than a non-vegetarian diet. South Indians who follow a predominantly vegetarian diet appear to have a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease than their neighbors in Northern India who consume more meat and fish. Refer to the nutrition section for more details.

3. Women are at lower risk for health conditions. South Asian women are also at very high risk for diabetes and heart disease. Unfortunately they are not routinely screened for these diseases due to a misconception that men are at much higher risk. Health care for many South Asian women is limited to visits with their gynecologists. However, early screening is just as important for women.

Since very little excess weight goes a long way towards increasing a South Asian's risk of developing diabetes and heart disease, a modified body mass index (BMI) scale has been developed for this demographic: